The new railway line being constructed from Udhampur to Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir also involves the construction of a steel arch bridge over the river Chenab.
Once the Chenab Bridge is ready, by 2019, it would be the world’s highest railway bridge. While several engineers and workers are working on this project, which began in 2004, one woman who is behind the design, foundation and slope stabilisation is G. Madhavi Latha, a professor of Civil Engineering at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru.
G. Madhavi Latha
The 45-year-old spent a major part of her life in Hyderabad. After her schooling, she studied BTech at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU). Post which she pursued MTech at National Institute of Technology (NIT), Warangal, and then PhD. at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras.
Madhavi went on to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship in Rock Mechanics under professor Sitaram at IISc. “I have been working on this project since 2005. It was later declared as a national project. The engineering design is very complicated and challenging as the bridge is between two hills and 359 metres above the river. The area is also earthquake prone and vulnerable. The bridge is going to be an arch bridge. I was always interested in rock mechanics and for this project, I have been researching and studying the rocks in the region. We make sure that the rocks are strong enough and that the site conditions are satisfactory,” she says.
Konkan Railways had first given the project to AFCONS Construction Company, who then contacted Madhavi and Sitaram at IISc. “The project had to be completed in 2015, within a budget of '512 crore, but there were many challenges. However, it has now picked up and I have visited the site several times,” shares Madhavi.
Madhavi had to give a stabilisation plan for the slopes, as they are vertical and very steep. Her analysis and designs were proof checked by several experts in India and abroad.
“The construction of the arch bridge began just last week,” she says, and adds, “When I first visited the site, I was clueless looking at the two hills. Now, I am confident.”
Madhavi, who has been working day and night on this project, says that her personal life has taken a toll several times due to this. “Even if there’s an emergency at the house, I have to leave and visit the site. I couldn’t be with my children during their exams. But, my husband, Hari Prasad Reddy, is very supportive. So are my kids, Abhignya and Shaurya. This project has now become like my own project,” says Madhavi, who has also designed tunnels in Japan and Himalayas in the past.
The railway line is going to be a lifeline for many in Jammu, as they have been facing problem while travelling during medical and other emergencies. “This is an engineering marvel and the whole country is waiting for it to start. I will probably be the first one to travel on the highest bridge once it’s completed,” she says.
Madhavi informs us that when there is a problem at the site, she is the one who provides them with the solutions. “I have to write codes. I send them my drawings and they send me the photos from the site when I am not there.”
Once she does get some time off, Madhavi loves to de-stress by cooking and clicking photos.
